Fence.



PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

J. A. GRAHAM.

FENCE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEG.24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

R a I 0 H A17 E m vnmw .MW 5m WHWES" j 5 1 Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN A GRAHAM, OF MGRAE, GEORGIA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,729, dated July 26,1904.

Application filed December 24, 1903. Serial No. 186,494. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at McRae, in the county of Telfair and State of Georgia, haveinvented a certain new and useful Fence, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fences, the object in View being to providemeans whereby the panels of a portable knockdown fence may be connectedtogether and firmly united in such manner that the said panels willmutually support and brace each other, while at the same time any of thepanels may be readily disconnected to form an opening or gateway in thefence to enable additional panels to be inserted. The connecting deviceis so constructed and combined with the uprights of the panels that noundue strain is brought upon the uprights, which would tend to split orinjure the same, the effect of the connecting devices being rather toprevent splitting or breaking of the uprights.

\Vith the aboveand other objects in view, the nature of which will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportable knockdown fence constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing one ofthe connecting devices applied to one of the uprights of adjacentpanels. Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section through the same. Fig. 4is a-detail perspective view of the flexiblelink which, together withthe retaining-pin, forms the connecting device of this invention. Fig. 5is a detail view showing the use of a wooden key in connection with theflexible link.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

In order to illustrate the present invention, I have illustrated asection of portable knockdown fence in Fig. 1, in which it will be seenthat said fence is composed of a series of panels', eachcomprisingaseries of horizontal rails 1, connected by end uprights orposts 2, the said panels being stiffened by means of diagonal braces 3.i

The connecting device, by means of which the panels are united toeachother, consists of a flexible link which is composed of a length ofwire or metal strip having the extremities thereof united, as shown at4. The said wire or strip is bent to form a central elongated eye 5 andis further bent around the end upright of one of the panels to form apair of loops 6, each of which is substantially rectangular, the saidloops being located and arranged at opposite sides of the plane of theelongated eye 5, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.. The adjacentuprights of the panels are provided with holes 7 and 8, located at thesame height, so as to come opposite each other in order that theelongated eye 5 may be inserted through both of said openings 7 and 8 inthe manner illustrated in the drawings, and the loops 6 are bent aroundthe portions of the upright lying on opposite sides of the opening 7through which the elongated eye 5 passes. The loops 6 are connected witheach other and relatively braced by means of a crosstie or connectingportion which passes across an elongated central loop or eye and liesagainst the front of the adjacent post or upright of the panel. Thisforms what may be termed a double loop or strap, which extends allaround the post or upright and prevents the same from splitting at thepoint where it is weakened by the formation of the hole for theelongated loop.

The eye 5 after passing through the opening 7 is extended sufficientlyto pass also through the opening 8 of the oppositely-located upright, asbest illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and sufficiently beyond the outerface of the second upright to receive a pin or key 9, which is providedwith a head 10 to prevent accidental escape or displacement of the pinfrom the eye.

The link or connecting device is preferably formed out of soft orannealed wire, and is therefore flexible, so that it may adapt itself tothe angles of the panels in connection with which it is used, as shownin Fig. 3, it being understood that the fence is usually set up in suchmanner that the panels assume a zigzag relation to each other, thearrangement forming what is known in the art as a worm fence. Ifdesired, suitable anchoring posts or stakes may be driven into theground, to which the panels may be connected at intervals, as shown inFig. 1. In pressing the adjoining panel-seetions out of alinement witheach other tension is brought to bear upon theliexible link, with theresult that the loops 6 are drawn more firmly around the parts of theupright which they embrace. This obviates any tendency of the upright tosplit and at the same time forms a firm anchorage for the flexible link.lVhile the extremities of the metal strip or piece of wire from whichthe flexible link is formed are shown united, it will be apparent thatby using a strip or piece of wire of suflicient strength the extremitiesof said strip or wire may be brought close to each other and leftdisconnected. The form shown is preferred, however, for the reason thatit enables lighter Wire to be used in the manufacture of the flexiblelink, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and rendering theelongated eye of the link more flexible.

Instead of using the metal pin or nail a wooden pin, key, or Wedge maybe used in lieu thereof,the same being driven through theloop of theflexible link. here such wooden key is employed, the opening through theupright of the fence-panel is preferably elongated or made oblong toallow the loop to be spread by such Wooden key or Wedge, as illustratedin Fig. 5.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

Adjoining fence-panels, the end uprights of which are provided withholes in line with each other, in combination with a flexibleconnecting-link consisting of a metal strip bent to form acentrally-elongated eye which passes through said holes, and a doubleloop having portions located at opposite sides of the eye and embracingportions of the upright on opposite sides of the hole, and a cross-tiewhich extends across the centrally-elongated eye, and a pin or keyinsertible in the extremity of the eye and serving to lock the panelstogether, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN A. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

H. 1). 700mm, A. V. MORGAN.

